MINDFULNESS IN MANAGEMENT

With this exercise the employees formulate what they want to learn from their work. This learning question gets attention during performance interviews.

Purpose: Focus on learning, talent and potential. Attention for what the employee really wants. The employee works with his ‘’learning question’’ during a period of e.g. 6 months.
Duration: N / A
Group size: 1-10
Initial Situation: The cards are on a table with the picture up.

Instruction:
1. First explain the intention of this practice. The employee formulates a Learning Question to deal with over a longer period. (e.g. 1 year or 6 months). The Learning Question is positively worded, simple and does not need to have a direct relationship to the function. A good Learning Question is:  I want to concentrate, let go, listen, cleanup, love (!) Etc. A poorly formulated question is: I will never fight again.
2. Focus yourself and ask your employee to become silent and choose a picture that represents what he wants to learn. Let him formulate a word or phrase to match the photo.
3. Look at the Learning Question together.  Ask questions like: What does this Learning Question mean to you? How will it be for you after learning what you want to learn? What does it mean for you to go for this?
4. Look together at the word at the back of the photo. Is this supporting? Or is there another word that supports? Decide a timeframe for achieving the learning question.  Give the picture to the employee to take with him (or make a copy) .
5. Schedule 1 or 2 performance meetings and during the meeting briefly ask how the employee is dealing with his learning question.
6. At the end of the learning period pay more attention to the outcome of the learning question. Note: It is important to remember that the outcome can be otherwise than expected! Questions: what is the benefit? What does that mean for you, as a (wo)man, as an employee / manager, as a colleague, etc. Keep the formulation of the benefits short!
7. Ask the employee to choose a new photo that represents the outcome and give it to him.

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